How to Scale Your Benefit Platform with Virtual Cards?
- Justyna Mazurek
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
The contemporary employee benefits market is rapidly evolving – from traditional forms of support, such as vouchers and sports packages, to modern digital solutions that are convenient, flexible, and secure. A key trend is the integration of virtual payment cards with cafeteria and benefit platforms, which allow companies to offer employees a wide range of modern benefits. In this context, Sparados cards are becoming a powerful tool for supporting and developing benefit programs – both for platform administrators and end users.
Below we present how and why Sparados virtual cards are one of the most effective and modern tools in the arsenal of employee benefits.
What Is a Benefit Platform (Cafeteria System)?
The benefit platform (also known as a cafeteria system) is a modern online tool that allows employees to independently choose their salary supplements (benefits) from a wide range of available options.
Instead of imposing the same thing on everyone (e.g., just a gym membership), the employer gives the employee a specific budget – usually in the form of points – which the employee spends on what they need most at a given moment.
How does it work in practice?
Budget: The employer funds the employee's account on the platform each month (e.g., PLN 100 or 100 points). Funding may come from the company budget or the Company Social Benefits Fund (ZFŚS).
Selection: The employee logs into the system (via a browser or app) and selects benefits from the "menu" – hence the name "cafeteria" (as in a cafeteria, where you choose only the dishes you want).
Implementation: Most benefits are in the form of electronic codes, vouchers or subscription access that are available immediately.
What is usually on the “menu” of benefit platforms?
The offer depends on the platform provider, but most often includes:
Sports and health: Sports cards, medical packages, preventive examinations.
Culture and entertainment: Tickets to cinemas, theatres, codes for streaming services (e.g. Netflix, Spotify).
Shopping: Vouchers for popular chain stores (clothing, food, drugstores).
Tourism: Vacation subsidies, airline tickets, hotel reservations.
Development: Language courses, training, access to e-books.
Why do companies choose cafeteria systems?
Employee's Perspective | Employer's Perspective |
Flexibility: You choose what suits your lifestyle (e.g., instead of the gym – the cinema). | Time savings: HR does not have to manually distribute tickets or cards – the system does it itself. |
Sense of agency: You have a real influence on your non-wage compensation. | Attractiveness on the market: A modern system attracts talent and builds the image of a "good boss". |
Convenience: All benefits and funds (e.g. from the Employee Benefits Fund) are in one place 24/7. | Better fit: Money isn't wasted on extras that no one uses. |
The most popular benefit platforms in Poland
The most popular benefit systems in Poland include Nais, MyBenefit, Medicover Benefits, Worksmile and Motivizer.
Virtual Cards - Modern Benefits for Modern Platforms
Benefit and cafeteria platforms today operate in an environment where increasingly more is expected from tools that are not only functional but also intuitive. Traditional point systems or physical cards often prove insufficient – they are difficult to manage, inflexible, and difficult to use in the world of digital payments.
Sparados virtual cards bring a new quality:
quick implementation and issuance – cards can be generated in a few seconds and immediately assigned to users,
full flexibility of use – from lunch cards, through bonus and gift cards, to dedicated solutions for specific merchants,
support for multiple currencies and payment methods – which gives benefit platforms the ability to offer international benefits.
Such solutions not only meet the needs of modern employees, but also make it easier for benefit platforms to create more attractive and competitive offers.
Flexibility and Personalization – the Key to Engaging Benefits
One of the biggest advantages of Sparados benefit cards is their full customization and white-label integration. This means the benefits platform can:
customize the appearance of cards – e.g. logo and brand colors,
integrate the card collection portal with your own domain and visual identification,
communicate with employees in a consistent style.
All of this makes the end user feel like the benefit platform is the creator of the solution, not an external technology provider. This consistent experience builds trust and strengthens brand recognition – every card transaction becomes a subtle form of marketing communication that reminds the employee of the benefits offered by their employer.
Personalization also influences the perception of benefits as added value, not just a formal supplement to remuneration.
Speed and Convenience – Immediate Access to Funds
Employees today expect immediate solutions. One of the main frustrations of traditional benefit programs is the need to submit applications, wait for approval, and then receive reimbursement. Virtual cards eliminate this process by:
direct access to funds via the application,
the ability to add them to mobile wallets such as Google Pay and Apple Pay,
access to your balance and transaction history online.
This means employees don't have to wait for a physical card or transaction approval – the funds are immediately available and can be used for contactless, online, or mobile payments. This is a huge added value for benefit platforms, as it increases the attractiveness of their services and makes it easier for users to use their benefits on a daily basis.
Security and Control – the Foundation of Trust
Modern benefit platforms must provide not only convenience but also security of funds and transparent spending control. Sparados cards are loaded with funds solely for this purpose and can be:
managed in real time from the administration panel,
monitored for expenses and limits,
integrated with reporting systems for HR and finance.
For benefit platforms, this means greater flexibility in creating spending policies, process automation and better control over budgets.
What Types of Employee Benefits do Sparados Cards Support?
Sparados cards support a wide range of benefits, making them a very versatile tool for platforms:
Lunch cards – a popular benefit that employees use for daily meals, both traditionally and as digital payments, in line with current remote and hybrid work trends; such cards improve employee satisfaction and are an attractive element of the benefit offer, especially when they can be paid online and added to Google Pay or Apple Pay;
bonus and gift cards – perfect for rewarding employees for achievements or special occasions,
Company Social Benefits Fund cards – in line with the rules of the Company Social Benefits Fund,
benefit cards limited to specific stores/merchants – funds intended for specific purposes and stores,
other types of benefit cards such as "Sport", "Culture", "Courses and training", "Premium", etc.
This allows benefit platforms to offer solutions tailored to the various expectations of employers and the needs of employees, while managing these benefits centrally and transparently.
Benefit Cards as a Tool for Employee Development and Motivation
In addition to everyday benefits such as paying for lunch or online shopping, benefit cards can also support broader development goals:
facilitate the use of online training programs and courses,
motivate to independently manage the development budget,
support a culture of continuous development within the organization.
By giving employees a tool that is simple, immediate and flexible, benefit platforms help companies implement their talent development strategy, which has a real impact on employee engagement and loyalty.
How to enrich the offer of cafeteria systems and HR platforms with virtual cards?
Incorporating virtual cards into your cafeteria system or HR platform is a strategic step that transforms a static catalog of benefits into a dynamic and engaging user experience.
Summing up the year 2025, Michał Stachera, CEO of Sparados, emphasized: "Our offer has been enriched with another element, thanks to which we can provide software for benefit and cafeteria platforms, allowing them to enrich their portfolio with innovative benefits based on payment cards, increasing the value offered to clients and partners."
Sparados virtual cards are currently one of the most powerful tools that benefit platforms can offer their clients. Thanks to full personalization, white-label integration, immediate availability of funds, secure transactions, and a wide range of applications, they support the development of modern benefit programs at every stage.
Platforms that decide to implement such cards will not only increase the attractiveness of their offer, but also build deeper relationships with users – offering solutions that employees really want and are happy to use on a daily basis.
How to get started? Contact us and we'll present an offer tailored to your company's needs. Choose modern employee benefits and get ahead of the competition!
